The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Education Ministry has recommended field inspections to investigate allegations of irregularities and corruption at various institutions under the ministry, including the National University and education boards.

The committee also recommended giving serious consideration to bringing educational institutions under the MPO scheme if they had fulfilled the required conditions but were denied the facility due to discrimination during the previous government.

The recommendations were made at the first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Education Ministry of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday, according to a press release issued by the Parliament Secretariat.

The committee called for necessary measures to modernise the country’s education system and bring it up to international standards to build a knowledge-based, corruption-free and ethical nation.

The committee placed particular emphasis on preventing irregularities and corruption in the education sector.

It recommended that allegations of irregularities or corruption in the National University, education boards and other institutions under the Education Ministry be properly scrutinised and that necessary action be taken. 

It also stressed the need for the parliamentary committee to conduct field inspections where necessary.

The meeting recommended that institutions meeting the required criteria for inclusion under the MPO scheme but allegedly deprived of the facility through discrimination during the previous government be considered for MPO enlistment with due importance.

The committee also expressed special gratitude to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for taking steps to provide retirement and welfare benefits to 25,000 retired teachers.

The meeting noted that the government has given the highest priority to education and allocated the highest amount of funding to the sector in this year’s budget.

Committee Chairman Md Selim Bhuiyan presided over the meeting.